The trainer with more favourites than any other for the Festival gives the lowdown on the horses from his stable heading for the premier jumps meeting in a fortnightWillie Mullins, the champion trainer at five of the last six Cheltenham Festivals, threw his stable doors open to the media on Monday morning and spoke at length about his team for this year’s meeting, which is expected to include about up to 40 horses. Here’s what he had to say about some of the leading contenders. Related: Colin Tizzard confident of Cheltenham success despite Thistlecrack blow Related: Talking Horses: Nicky Henderson’s Cheltenham Festival runners guide Related: Talking Horses: Tips plus Paul Nicholls' Festival runners guide Continue reading...
An unexposed all-weather David Barron runner at Wolverhampton stands out among Monday’s racing actionThe jumpers on show at Ayr and Plumpton 15 days before Cheltenham are never likely to be potential stars of the future and there are not many runners on the card at either track that demand to be backed. The all-weather card at Wolverhampton does have one very interesting race, however, a six-furlong handicap with £12,000 for the winner. A strong and very competitive field of 12 runners is due to go to post, and a fair case can be made for at least nine of these on the pick of their form. The one who makes most appeal at the odds, however, is Fast Track (3.55),...
Thistlecrack may be out for the season but the Dorset trainer still has a big team of Festival contendersColin Tizzard was the latest trainer to open his yard to the media yesterday ahead of next month’s Festival at Cheltenham and, while much of the attention will be on Native River and Cue Card, the market-leaders for the Gold Cup on 17 March, he will have leading contenders for Grade Ones and handicaps throughout the four days. Here’s what he had to say about his main contenders. Continue reading...
The premier jumps meeting’s most successful current trainer gives the lowdown on the horses heading for Cheltenham next monthThe Cheltenham Festival’s most successful current trainer was the latest stop on Wednesday on the round of media open mornings before next month’s meeting, which opens on 14 March. Here is what he had to say about his leading contenders for the meeting’s Grade One events: Related: Racing news and tips: Altior is diamond in Henderson’s Cheltenham pack Continue reading...
The champion jumps trainer gave a lengthy assessment of his various possible runners at Cheltenham next monthHere’s a summary of what the champion jumps trainer said about his main contenders for the Cheltenham Festival when he met with the media yesterday. He estimated that he would have about 18 to 20 runners but is mindful that there is plenty of prize money elsewhere in what’s rest of the season and won’t run a horse for the sake of it if he thinks there might be a decent chunk of money to be picked up elsewhere. Continue reading...